Engleby cover

Engleby

by Sebastian Faulks

Mike Engleby says things that others dare not even think. When the novel opens in the 1970s, he is a university student, having survived a traditional school. A man of devoid of scruple or self-pity, Engleby provides a witheringly frank account of English education. In the course of his subsequent career, which brings us up to the present day, he and the reader encounter many famous people actors, writers, politicians, household names but the most memorable is Engleby himself. For beneath the disturbing surface of his observations, lies an unfolding mystery of gripping power. When one of his contemporaries unaccountably disappears, the reader has to ask: is even the unembarrassable Engleby capable of telling the whole truth.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?